The Five Most Common Pests That Can Do Real Harm In The Home

As much as we might like to live close to nature, or have a beautiful growing garden, it doesn’t mean that we want to share our home with all creatures great and small. Pests can cause problems in a variety of ways, such as getting into your food, leaving droppings nearby, and more. However, they can affect the very health of the home, as well, from the materials that make it up to the qualities that should make it a safe place to live. Here are five pests you should act to get rid of and the damage they can cause when left to their own devices.

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Creating a Sustainable Oasis Where Home Meets Nature

There is a quiet pleasure in stepping out, feeling like your own home and the natural world are sort of conversing with each other. Not loudly, not with fanfare, but gently, simply enough to make you stop for a moment longer than normal. It’s the kind of feeling that can take a backyard beyond a square of grass or a patio. It turns into a small oasis, a space where things calm down a little bit, and you realize that homes don’t have to be apart from nature — they can actually share it in a relaxed conversation.

And it doesn’t come quickly, and it doesn’t have to be perfect. Being able to see what is already there, what can be cultivated, and what can be added in a way that is rational begins a sustainable time in the open. The natural first choice is to take native plants. They have their own cadence and energy, their own endurance, and somehow give life to the yard without roosting for attention. You’ve seen that even a handful of well-placed shrubs or wildflowers can help make the air feel less dense, the sunlight shinier, like the yard itself can breathe with you.

Top Nature Parks on the east coast of Australia

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Australia is a wildlife paradise. It is a home to a rich biodiversity, in fact it is one of only seventeen ‘megadiverse’ nations and is home to more species than any other developed country. Compared to other regions of the world it boasts some of the most unique wildlife on the planet. 

It is home to an array of different and unique varieties of animals, birds, reptiles and plants.  Australia is renowned for plant life such as gum trees, wild animals including the kangaroo, koala, dingo and wallaby, reptiles such as the Australian crocodile and the blue tongued lizard, plus is a bird lover’s paradise with aussie birds such as the little penguin, tawny frogmouth and the Australian southern cassowary.

For the love of nature - UK's rarest wildlife

As you may already know from previous blog posts and the photographs we share here and on our social media we are a family who loves the great outdoors and the wonderful things that good old mother nature has to offer. We are in our element when outdoors having adventures and love exploring. We also love seeing wondrous wildlife when we are out and about enjoying the fresh air of the great outdoors.

Living in picturesque Pembrokeshire in Wales and only a short drive to stunning Cardigan bay, we are very fortunate to have lots of breathtaking countryside and marvellous shores to explore and see.

Ideal family days out for us are days such as enjoying and exploring the beach with a spot of rock pooling, trekking along coastal paths where we can enjoy breathtaking views and be fortunate to see a variety of creatures and birds on our travels, and delving into and walking through woodlands that are filled with magnificent trees and a host of wildlife.

Being a family who loves nature and wildlife, not only are our family days out planned to satisfy our enjoyment of the great outdoors but our family holidays are also planned with what the area has to offer nature wise as well. Thanks to Haven Holidays who have created a naturetastic PDF guide all about where to spot some of the UK’s rarest wildlife, we have lots of ideas about where to holiday next so that we can experience some of the rarest wildlife that this beautiful isle has to offer.

#smartDiscoveries with smarTrike

My own childhood has inspired how I parent now that I am a mum. Growing up on a farm in beautiful west Wales that was a stone's throw from beaches and woodlands we spent countless hours play, exploring and having adventures in the great outdoors. Having experienced the joy and benefits of playing outdoors can provide I am passionate about raising my children in a similar way.

With that in mind and my love of the great outdoors still strong I am enthusiastic about having lots of adventures in the great outdoors. From when Bug was a young baby I have ensured we spend a great deal of time outdoors having lots of fun and new experiences. Over the years we have made so many memorable memories together in the great outdoors and Bug has had lots of fun and learnt from the environment.

National Trust’s Cadbury Eggsplorers Easter Egg Hunt.

For us Easter is not only a time when the Easter bunny visits with a few yummy chocolate egg treats, but also a time when we relish the beauty of the great outdoors on fun family adventures. We love nothing more than having adventures in the great outdoors, exploring the wonder of nature on lovely – hopefully sunny - countryside walks.

This Easter the National Trust are giving families the opportunity to combine a love of chocolate egg treats that have become famously connected to Easter with a love of getting outdoors and having fun families adventures thanks to their annual Cadbury Eggsplorers Easter Egg Trails.

5 small changes you can make to improve your life.

Wanting to improve the quality of your life?

Here are five small changes you can make to do just that:

Get more sleep

Is sailing through the day in a sleepy haze a common occurrence for you?

Are you guilty of late night social media browsing or binge watching TV shows?

Just one night of bad sleep can really scupper your memory, along with making your temper flare up throughout the day.

The best solution is to force yourself to go to sleep an hour or two early, before your second wind of energy kicks in.

Give up smoking

Are you a smoker, but can’t face the idea of never smoking again?

It has been proven that many people are actually addicted to the act of smoking rather than the nicotine itself. It’s no secret that vaping has become a fantastic alternative for people. Avoiding things such as the grotty smoke smell that sticks to furniture is one of the best reasons for giving up smoking cigarettes and moving onto e-cigarettes sooner rather than later.

Volunteer for charity

It might take some effort, but improving the lives of others is actually one of the easiest ways of improving our own lives.

There are countless soup kitchens around the country where you can give up an hour or two of your time to help the needy. In return, you could get an adrenaline boost that will make you appreciate the good aspects of your life, ultimately leading to a positive mental attitude.

Get active

Whilst the notion of getting more exercise may not be that appealing, by getting active you will not only benefit your health but also release endorphins that produce a feeling of well-being and happiness.

Getting active can be as simple as going for a walk or choosing to walk to the shops instead of taking the car or bus. You could also embrace exercise by joining a gym, going to keep fit classes, taking up running or jogging or trying a gentler form of exercise such as yoga.

Another benefit of getting active is that it can get you out of the house (unless you choose to exercise in the comfort of your own home) where you could possibly meet new friends.

Enjoy nature

There is practically nothing better for decreasing your anxiety than to go for a gentle walk, enjoying the nature that surrounds you.

For example, places in the north of England, like Yorkshire and Lancashire, are hotspots for idyllic reservoir walks, but even big cities such as London boast some of the most beautiful, scenic parks in the country.